453. About four o’clock, as the Governor, Lady B——g, and the staff, &c., were seated at dinner, which was nearly over, a message that caused some excitement among the hearers was delivered to K——g. The Governor inquired about it. K——g explained that the Shircarree set as a watch had reported that the much dreaded “Rogue” had just left the jungle and appeared upon the plain. K——g asked leave to attack him. Lady B——g begged that, escorted by a few gentlemen, she might be allowed to watch his proceedings from some safe spot. This K——g acceded to, but stipulated that he was then to be left entirely to himself. On getting a view of the low ground, and observing several herds of elephants scattered over the extensive plain, her ladyship became nervous, and returned to the encampment. Her brother, Mr. B——t and Mr. G. (now living in London) remained; and K——g placed them in a secure position amidst some trees standing too close together to admit of the elephant’s forcing his large body through, should he be merely wounded, and perchance take that direction.
454. After carefully examining the localities, K——g made a détour to prevent the “Rogue” from winding him. There was some brushwood, but no trees, to cover his approach. The vindictive solitary animal was apparently brooding over his wrongs in an open space rich with the luxuriant vegetation consequent on tropical rains. He began to feed, striking the ground with each fore-foot alternately, in order to loosen the grass from the soil. He then collected the herbage with his trunk; but before carrying the mass to his mouth, shook it carefully to free the roots from earth. This gave K——g the opportunity, stealthily and creeping low, to get undetected about twenty paces in rear of him. There he knelt and anxiously awaited the turn of the head that should expose some spot not completely protecting the brain.
455. Long did he watch, for the elephant, when not engaged in feeding, stood motionless, save an occasional whisk of his cord-like tail, or the flopping of his huge ears. At times, however, he would slightly bend his head when with his proboscis scattering sand over his body, in order to drive off some troublesome insect; at which moment the hopeful sportsman would noiselessly cock his piece, but only to again half-cock it in disappointment.
ELEPHANT KILLED.
456. Messrs. B. and G. became impatient. They fancied the elephant must have stolen away; and a peacock happening to fly over their heads, they fired at it. On hearing the noise, the elephant wheeled, and perceived K——g. He curled his trunk under his neck, lowered his head, and charged. The most vulnerable spot was thus presented. K——g’s barrel was deliberately poised,—a cool aim taken, and the trigger pulled;—but it yielded not! K——g felt, he told me, “a choking sensation”—certain death was before him; but instantly remembering that he had replaced the piece on half-cock, he brought it from his shoulder—full-cocked it—raised it again to level—and with unshaken nerve, and unerring precision, a second time covered the vulnerable spot. Down with a tremendous crash dropped the ponderous brute, first on his knees, then on his chest; and with such speed was he charging that he almost made a complete somerset in the act of falling stone dead near the feet of his comparatively puny conqueror—vanquished by skill and cool intrepidity.
457. The party on descending found K——g endeavouring to climb up the enormous carcass. They feared the animal might be only stunned, but K——g satisfied them by probing to its brain with his ramrod in the direction the bullet had taken.
458. Colonel W. (the Q. Master General), who was of the party, made a spirited sketch of the scene. I have more than once admired it. It is admirably done in red chalk. K——g is seen standing upon the prostrate elephant, and a number of the natives are represented in their picturesque costumes, making grateful salaams to the “brave sahib” who had slain their formidable enemy. Underneath the sketch is written “The Mighty King.”
459. My friend’s nerves were so little affected by his narrow escape that he killed two more elephants the same evening, and wounded another. It was a long shot across the river. The animal was feeding. K——g waited to aim until he could bring its temple so low as to align with the elbow, when the head would be in a favourable position for a well-directed ball to penetrate to the brain. But the two oz. bullet missed the temple; it, however, struck the elbow and fractured the bone. Darkness was gradually coming on,—the river was full of alligators,—there was no bridge,—and K——g was unwillingly compelled to defer despatching the poor creature until daylight the next morning. He left it ineffectually endeavouring to make use of the fractured limb by frequently lifting it with his trunk and placing it in front.
